Tavis BohlingerWhat makes a good scholar-theologian? Here are seven things:
A good biblical scholar is a sane biblical scholar. What I mean by that is, a good biblical scholar takes time for themselves and does not focus on their research every waking moment of the day; you have to have balance. If you don’t do this...
As a junior scholar, I don’t consider myself either a good Bible scholar or theologian (yet!) so I can only offer my own expectations based on my encounters with others. I’ve organized these into six key areas:
“Sympathy, curiosity, industry, creativity, intentionality, honesty, and responsibility.”
Paul BurkhartIn any school, especially graduate school—including seminary—one of its greatest costs is to one’s sleep. At least, I know that’s the case for me. I spent most of my adult schooling years with an average nightly sleep duration of 4 to 6 hours. And...
Ryan BurnsBy Mikel Del Rosario. Have you ever felt like the more you study the Biblical Languages, the more Greek and Hebrew you seem to forget? I felt that way, too, when I was first starting out. Today, I’ve completed my fourth semester of Greek and I’m...
In your first year at seminary, you will inevitably be on either the giving or receiving end of what is probably the oldest seminary joke in existence, perhaps dating back to the time of Jesus himself. “Why do we have to buy all these textbooks? You...
Daryl EldridgeIf God has called you to get a seminary education, here are some tips that might help you to go debt free or reduce your debt. 1. Get a ministry position, even if it is part-time, and serve for several years before going to seminary. By doing...
Recently, a local news program reported that educational debt in the US is $870 billion, more than the nations credit card debt. Nearly 10% of the debt is past due. In Texas, 56% of college graduates owe an average of $21,000 to private and...
Anthony RussoBesides adjusting to the academics and general flow of your particular school, another challenge lies in meeting all of your fellow students. It can be dizzying trying to remember so many new names and faces. This too is God’s providence...
Larry BaxterA frequent question we face is ‘How do we get done all that we want to do?’ It’s a very important question, but if we think about this way, it’s the wrong question. A better question is ‘How do I do all that God has...
Nancy Wilson“There is a danger of doing too much as well as of doing too little. Life is not for work, but work for life, and when it is carried to the extent of undermining life or unduly absorbing it, work is not praiseworthy but blameworthy.”...
Michael EubanksI wonder if you have a growing list of things you are going to do ‘when you get time.’ For most people there seems to be at least a few things that are on a project list that are waiting for the right time or resources to be implemented...
As a volunteer leader attending seminary online I sometimes feel out of place. I don’t have the experience or skills of many of my classmates. But as an ex-professor and someone with a PhD in Chemical Engineering, there is one thing I do...
Sam SimmonsJack was frustrated as he stared at his laptop screen. He was on an annual personal retreat planning his twelfth year as senior pastor at Christ Community Church. The screen showed all his learning activities from the year before — the...
Brian SchmittWe’ve heard hundreds of horror stories of students losing their paper. Whether it is computer theft or a hard drive crashing, we are all vulnerable to loss of intellectual property. Days, even months of work can disappear in an instant. Each...
Jake BelderFor kids, having the summer off from school means lots of sitting around watching TV, riding bicycles or playing sports, and sleeping in. But seminary students are no longer kids, and summer break is not going to be like that anymore. At least they...
I’ve been meaning to point this out ever since it was posted, but so much has been going on I haven’t had the time. So, if you haven’t already seen it by now, check out Derek’s list of 45 Ways to Waste Your Theological...
OK everyone, time to help someone out. I was contacted by Dan and Chris who are missionaries in Poland. They have 2 daughters and are considering going to seminary. Below is a letter explaining their situation and they have asked for our help. So...
So, I’ve been giving a lot of thought to this semester and trying to determine how I will know if the semester is a success. Is it a successful semester if I get straight A’s? Is the number of pages I read this semester a measure of...
These aren’t four magic steps. I just thought it might be helpful for those who are wondering how to start the process of finding a seminary if I gave a couple “first steps.” Pray – Seminary is a big decision. So much of what...
There is a brief post on the Concordia Blog with some advice for those who have to relocate for seminary. While not an exhaustive post on the subject, there are some great little pointers in regards to the practicals… Like don’t pack...
Just a Gal is a runner. She loves to run… Me, not so much… Last night was date night and I took Just a Gal out to see Spirit of the Marathon. Chronicling the lives of 6 individuals preparing to run in the 2006 Chicago Marathon, the movie...
I love technology. In particular, I love computers. In more particular, I love macs. That said, I think it might be time to unplug the drug and start taking notes the old fashioned way… with pen and paper. “Crazy” you say...
While taking some time reading through some posts on Seminary Survival Guide I was struck Mark’s obvious, yet often overlooked, observation that we must learn triage. There’s no way for you to work all the hours to get all the money you...
Take it down a notch – Americans love their space. However, have you notice that the rest of the world is not so space obsessed. I am always humbled when I see images of other countries where entire families live in 1 and 2 bedroom houses. I...
A good number of people end up at goingtoseminary.com by searching some derivative of “best” and “seminary.” So, I figured I should take a moment and address the topic. Actually, the real motivation for this post was a thread...
Ok, health insurance is a pain in the neck. It is expensive and if you’re not on a company plan it is even more expensive. So, what are you to do? Well, first thing is to try and land a job that actually provides health insurance. Trick with...
Ok, here is another list that might help. Here are some sites that might help you find a job while you’re in seminary (no particular order other than this is how they came to my mind): First, check with your seminary. Lots of them have job...
So, I came across this chart today on Gospel Resurgence this afternoon and thought you’d get a kick out of it. As I read through it I actually laughed out loud as I thought of all the people this would help (mostly the people who talk too much...